Control means for towel cabinets



May 17, 1949.

Filed March 29, 1946 1.. L. PRICE CONTROL MEANS FOR TOWEL CABINETS 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

BY Wig m May 17, 1949.

L. PRICE CONTROL MEANS FOR TOWEL CABINETS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March29,-1946 INVENTOR.

E 5 p W L t Patented May 17, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTROLMEANS FOR TOWEL CABINETS Laurence L. Price, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application March 29, 1946, Serial No. 658,042

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in towel dispensers.

A primary object of the invention is to provide an improved toweldispenser wherein there is a roll over which toweling from a supply rollor source of supply is trained and which is caused to rotate as thetoweling is withdrawn from the dispenser, and to provide a novelarresting means for temporarily arresting rotation of the roll toprevent the toweling from being continuously withdrawn from the supply.

More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide a dispenserwherein there is a roll over which toweling from a source of supply istrained and which is caused to rotate as the toweling is withdrawn andto provide a tilt bar adjacent the roll adapted to be tilted when theportion of the toweling that leaves the roll is placed under tension,and to provide means operable by the tilt bar for arresting rotation ofthe roll, the said means being so arranged as to automatically clearwhen the tension of the toweling is released so that even though asubsequent tension is immediately applied to the toweling to operate thetilt bar the roll will not have its rotation arrested until it hasturned and dispensed a predetermined length of toweling.

A further object of the invention is to provide a towel dispenserwherein there is a roll over which the toweling is trained and which iscaused to rotate by the toweling as it is withdrawn and which is sodesigned that the toweling is urged into firm engagement with the rollover a substantial area around its circumference as to prevent slippageof the towel with respect to the roll both for measuring purposes andmaintaining the length of the loop of toweling that is suspended belowthe dispenser.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dispenser wherein thereis a roll over which the toweling is trained and which is turned as thetoweling is withdrawn and to provide a mangle in association with theroll for pressing the toweling against it and which mangle provides aconvenient movable partition dividing the cabinet into two compartmentsone of which is adapted to receive clean toweling and the other of whichis adapted to receive soiled toweling for rewinding purposes.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be mademanifest inthe following detailed description and specifically pointedout in the appended claims, reference is had to the accompanyingdrawings for an illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein:

Figure l. is a view in front elevation of the improved towel dispenser,the front cover therefor being illustrated as having been removed;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially upon the line 2-2 uponFig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a partial view in side elevation illustrating a detail ofconstruction and may be regarded as having been taken in the directionof the arrow 3 upon Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 i a partial view in side elevation illustrating another detail ofconstruction and may be regarded as having been taken in the directionof the arrow 4 upon Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially upon the line 5--5 uponFig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a section across the end of the measuring roll of thedispenser and taken substantially upon the line 6--6 upon Fig. 4; and

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but illustrating a modified form ofconstruction that may be employed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein similar referencecharacters designate similar parts throughout, the improved toweldispenser comprises a suitable frame generally indicated at I0 having abottom II, sides I2 and I3, and a top I l. The sides I2 and I3 arepreferably flanged outwardly at their forward edges and a cover, notshown, is applied thereover which is equipped with sides extendingrearwardly and covering the mechanism disposed outwardly of the sides I2and I3. A measuring roll I5 extends transversely across the frameadjacent the forward side thereof and has its ends rotatably mounted inthe sides. This measuring roll on one end thereof is equipped with apinion I 6 which meshes with a pinion I! of the same size that ismounted on the end of a roll I8. An anti-backup pawl I9 is engageablewith the pinion I I to prevent reverse rotation of the rolls I5 and I8.Both rolls are preferably covered with a friction material such as forexample sandpaper or emery cloth.

2!] indicates a supply roll of clean toweling which is trained over theroll I5 and down to the forward edge 2| of the bottom II. A tilt bar 22is pivotally mounted between the sides I2 and I3 adjacent the undersideof the roll I5. This tilt bar is located between the forward side of theroll I5 and the edge 2| of the bottom II and normally occupies thefull-line position shown in Fig. 2, wherein it bends the reach or lengthof toweling between the roll I5 and the edge 2|. At one end thereof thetilt bar has secured thereto an arm 23 that is urged upwardly by a coiltension spring 24 anchored to the side [3. The tension spring 24normally maintains the tilt bar in the full-line position shown in Fig.2, but whenever a tension is applied to the toweling to pull itdownwardly from the roll l the bent portion of the reach of towelingstraightens as indicated by dotted lines on Fig. 2, and swings the tiltbar into the dotted-line position shown. In the dotted line or tiltedposition the upper edge 25 of the tiltbar swings upwardly intoengagement with the toweling and serves to press or pinch it against theunderside of the roll 15.

A mangle 26 is pivotally mounted as at 21 between the sides l2 and i3and extends downwardly and rearwardly between the rolls l5 and I8terminating adjacent the bottom l l, thus forming a partition thatefiectively divides the interior of the cabinet or frame into twocompartments 21a and 28. The weight of this mangle being disposedrearwardly of the pivot 21 causes the mangle to swing downwardly in aclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2 to engage the toweling and pressit against the upper side of the roll It. In this manner it will beobserved that the toweling is pressed firmly against the measuring rollby the mangle and is in engagement with the measuring roll forapproximately one-half of its circumference. When a tension is appliedto the toweling to withdraw toweling from the dispenser the tilt bar 22on being turned into the dotted-line position has its upper edge swunginto engagement with the toweling on the underside of the roll andconsequently, in view of the large surface contact between the towelingand the roll and the spaced points where the toweling is urged intoengagement with the roll by the mangle and the edge 25 respectivelyslippage of the toweling with respect to the roll is effectivelyprevented.

Means is provided for arresting rotation of the roll l5 after the rollhas rotated a predetermined amount to permit a predetermined length ofclean toweling to be withdrawn. To this end the trunnion 29 on that endof the roll which extends through the sides i3 is equipped with washersor spacers 3i, and a dog 35 which is freely rotatable thereon betweenlimits provided by the inwardly bent lip 32 on a cap 33. The cap 33 isslipped onto the squared or non-circular portion 3:3 of the trunnion soas to be rotatable there-- with. The dog 3| when. engaged by the lip 32will be caused to rotate with the roll iii but when permitted to do sothis dog may rotate relatively to the roll and advance itself withrespect to the lip 32. The upper end of the arm 23 indicated at 35 isengageable with a locking bar 35 pivoted as at 31 to the side 53 andurged rearwardly by means of a spring 38 engageable with the forwardflange on the side 13. This locking bar provides a shoulder that isadapted to be moved into the path of the dog 3!. In the normal positionof the tilt bar 22 illustrated in ful1-lines in Fig. 2, the arm 23 is ina position wherein its upper end presses the locking bar 36 forwardlyagainst the action of the spring 38 and out of the path of the dog 3-1.However, when tension is applied to the toweling to tilt the tilt bar22, arm 23 swings into the dotted-line position shown in Fig. 4,allowing spring 38 to move the locking bar rearwardly so that itsshoulder 39 is in the path of the dog. Consequently on pulling towelingfrom the cabinet the tilt bar not only cooperates with the mangle incausing the toweling to firmly engage the measuring roll to preventslippage but it also releases the locking bar 36 to interpose itsshoulder 39 in-the path of the dog. Rotation of the roll l5 may continueuntil lip 32 has picked up the dog 3! and caused it to rotate into aposition wherein it engages the shoulder 39. In this position furtherrotation of the roll is stopped. If the tension on the toweling isreleased spring 24 returns the arm 23 and the tilting bar 22 to theirfull-line positions causing the upper end to swing the locking bar 35out of the path of the dog. As soon as the locking bar is moved out ofthe path of the dog the dog may then freely turn by gravity with respectto the trunnion 29 and swing downwardly into approximately the positionshown in full lines on Fig. 4, thus advancing automatically withrelation to the lip 32. This clears the locking mechanism so that eventhough the towel should again be immediately pulled turning the tilt bar22, the arm 23 and returning the locking bar 3% to locking position, theshoulder 39 will not have been returned to the position beneath the dogdue to the fact that the dog has advanced from this position whenreleased under the influence of gravity. As the roll i5 again starts toturn the dog is picked up by the lip 32 and is turned with the roll I5until it ultimately reengages the shoulder 39 on the locking bar.

The toweling after leaving the edge 2| is formed in a loop 39 and isdrawn up through the bottom of the frame adjacent the rear edge 40 ofthe bottom H. On the back of the mangle there is secured a bar or angleiron M which cooperates with the mangle to provide a guide slot 42through which the toweling is trained and the toweling is then broughtupwardly over the roll it and wound upon a suitable core 43 havingtrunnions slidable in slots M formed in the sides 22 and i3. Rotation ofthe measuring roll [5 causes the roll 8 to rotate at the same speedthrough the drive aiiorded by the pinions l6 and H. The core or winduproll 43 rests against the upper surface of roll i3 by gravity and thetoweling is caused to automatically wind up on this windup roll. Thewindup roll is withdrawn from the cabinet when the toweling iscompletely wound thereon by passing its trunnions through the forwardends of the horizontal portions of the slots M.

It will be readily observed that whenever the supply roll 2i! need bereplenished that this rollmay be readily inserted into the compartment21 through the open front of the frame. Threading of the soiled end ofthe toweling through the compartment '28 is also easily accomplished inthat this compartment is readily accessible above the rolls [5 and [8.The large contact area between the toweling and the roll i5 assuresagainst slippage and that the length of the loop 39 will remainconstant.

The modification illustrated in Fig. '7 is substantially the same asthat previously described and consequently corresponding parts have beenidentified with the sufilx a. Therein the tilt bar 22a has the arm 230secured thereto so as to be movable therewith. This arm is urged in aclockwise direction by the spring 24a. In this form of construction theupper end 35a is directly interposed in the path of the dog am when thetilt bar is tilted by applying tension to the toweling. In other wordsin this form of construction instead of releasing a locking bar to moveinto the path of the dog the arm on the tilt bar itself moves directlyinto the path. When the tension on the toweling is released spring 2 1a,swings the arm so that its upper end 35 is swung out of the path of thedog 3| and the dog consequently swings downwardly by gravity so as toclear the arresting mechanism and permit rotation of the roll eventhough a subsequent tension on the towel returns 35a to the path of thedog.

It will be appreciated from the above-described construction that theimproved towel dispenser is of relatively simple and durableconstruction. Assurance is made that the toweling will not slip withrespect to the measuring roll and the arresting means is operable by theapplication of tension to the toweling. The arresting means althoughsimple in construction is highly effective and durable.

While springs 24, 24a, and 38 are preferably employed it will .bereadily understood that weights or the equivalent may be utilized toyieldably urge their respective parts to their normal positions. Also,if desired, the dogs 3| and. 3117. may be spring-actuated instead ofgravityactuated,

Various changes may be made in the details of construction withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by theappended claims.

I claim:

1. In a towel dispenser, a measuring roll over which toweling is trainedfrom a supply, a mangle normally pressing the toweling against one sideof the roll, a tilt bar movable by applying tension to the toweling forpressing the toweling against another side of the roll, and means forarresting rotation of the roll.

2. In a towel dispenser, a measuring roll over which toweling is trainedfrom a supply, a mangle normally pressing the toweling against one sideof the roll, a tilt bar movable by applying tension to the toweling forpressing the toweling against another side of the roll, and means forarresting rotation of the roll after a predetermined amount of rotationthereof.

3. In a towel dispenser, a measuring roll over which toweling is trainedfrom a supply, a mangle normally pressing the toweling against one sideof the roll, a tilt bar movable by applying tension to the toweling forpressing the toweling against another side of the roll, and means forarresting rotation of the roll operable by the tilt bar.

LAURENCE L. PRICE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,460,215 Schwimmer June 26, 19231,480,294 Overholt Jan. 8, 1924 1,505,664 Olson Aug. 19, 1924 1,609,089Jones Nov. 30, 1926 1,906,353 Addler May 2, 1933 1,988,266 DeBersaquesJan. 15, 1935 2,140,440 Chidsey Dec. 13, 1938 2,202,930 Steiner June 4,1940 2,266,063 Morris Dec. 16, 1941

